San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-29
CHICAGO'S PIE TRADE.
PASTRY FoUNDRlEs THAT TURN
OUT 10000 PIES A DAY.
Some Statistics on a Popular Article OF
Food-Pies Falling Like Leaves from
the Frost Kissed Oak"-DeIivery and
Distribution,

the Frost Kissed Oak"-DeIiyery and
Distribution.
The statistics will show that more pies ara
made, baked and eaten in Chicago, in pro
portion TO the population, than in any other
city in the world. In fact, Chicago consumes
a reasonably 'arge quantity OF all sorts Of
eatables, and the fact that the pie is I'm de
mand is an evidence Of the prevalence Of a
cultivated taste among the people There are
three establishments in the city where home
made pies are turned out in magnificent
quantities TO supply the wholesale demand.
The extent of this industry has assumed sur.
prisng proportions in recent years. A per-
son who has not investigated the matter 10
some extent would have but a faint concep-
ton of the magnitude of the business. 1t is
even claimed that Chicago excels New York
in the trade.
As before stated, there are three pie manu-.
factories in the city. They each do about the
same extent of business They are generally
crowded TO their fullest capacity during the
hot season. Taking the establishment on
West Lake street as fair average, some very
interesting figures are procured. This house
employs about 100 hands, Of which one-half
are females generally girls-who earn good
salaries. Some of them earn from IS to $40
per week, the forewoman getting SIS. This
pie factory turns out pastry during baking
hours at the rate of 1000 pies per hour, or
from 10000 to Il, 900 each day on an average.
RUNNING NIGHT AND DAY.
They run night and day. In fact, the ovens
are never allowed to cool The ovens have a
revolving bottom, on which the pies are
placed, which is kept in motion almost con-
stantly. A pie is baked during one revolu-
ton, is removed, and another takes its place
Tin Dishes or plates, are used for baking and
delivery, this one firm requiring $4,000
plates. The pies are all made by hand, and
are stamped with the name of the firm and
variety Of the contents. An apple pie Is
marked "A" on the upper crust, a blackberry
pie B. B. and raspberry pie r. B. Those not
having an upper crust bear their identity on
their face and need no branding Apple pies
are the staple and are in the most general de-
mand. Berry pies are very popular during
their season.
1t is a sight not without interest to see forty
or fifty girls peeling and preparing the fruit,
or ranged along either side of large table,
neatly dressed in white aprons and jaunty
caps, each one performing her allotted labor
in the construction of pie This work is
done with that rapidity, dexterity and skill
only attained by long Fpractice. One set of
girls rolls the dough, another puts in the bot
tom crust, others dip in the contents and still
others fit on the top crust. 1t is then passed
to a machine, that runs by power, which
trims and joins the edges with lightning
rapidity. Pies fall upon the reception tables
like leaves from the frost kissed oak, and are
borne away to the ovens by the baking de-
tachment
TONS OF INGREDIENTS.
In the manufacture of from 5000 to 1OO,-
900 pies per week vast number Of ingredi-
ents is consumed. 1t requires on an average
a car load of flour, eighty barrels of sugar,
and thirty barrels Of lard, to say nothing
about the number Of eggs and the vast guam
tity of milk used. In manufacturing the
crust the general rule is to use two pounds of
-four to one of lard. This is more lard, how
ever, than our pie bakers consume as they
have discovered that by the use of the best
grades of -four and winter lard a sufficiently
crisp consistency can be attained in the crust
with less lard, while they contend the pies
are more wholesome. 1t is generally admitted
that the Chicago pie bakers use the best grade
Of materials attainable in their pies, and that
their productions are clean and healthy
They have discovered that it takes less of
good grade of flour and lard to make a supe-
rior grade of pie.
For the delivery and distribution of this vast
quantity of pastry daily, the firm visited runs
sixteen wagons. As locomotive power they
keep an average of forty horses The de-
livery has to be done quickly, and for city
Of the magnificent distances of Chicago it
lakes rapid driving. This necessitates a
change of horses each half day. A number
Of men are employed to take charge of the
horses, who live in the stable. Each driver
bitches his own team and is held responsible
for it while in his charge. The wagons each
hold $50 pies, which are slipped in single
shelves arranged along either side, tightly
closed so as to exclude the dust while on the
street. The wagons have a sort of aisle
through the middle, and on the outside are
painted in gaudy colors, looking something
like circus wagon. The pies are sold at diff
ferent prices. The general retail price is
twelve to fifteen cents. The manufacturer
aims to make one-half cent on each pie made,
clear Of contents and running expenses Out
Of this is his profit, after paying his taxes
and keeping up property in which about
$1,000 is invested.-Chicago Herald